Model-Based Assessment of Sex Differences in Glucose Effectiveness and Its Components

Sex differences may assume a key role in condition of impaired glucose metabolism and progression to type 2 diabetes, affecting insulin-dependent processes. However, the presence of sex differences in non-insulin-dependent processes (i.e. glucose effectiveness) has been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to detect the presence of sex differences in glucose effectiveness (SG), as assessed by minimal model analysis, in subjects with different degrees of glucose metabolism impairment. Two groups of subjects ranging from normal (NGR, n = 57, males/females: 31/26) to abnormal glucose regulation (AGR, n = 115, males/females 42/73) underwent a 3-h frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test. Minimal model analysis provided SG and its components at zero (GEZI) and at basal (BIE) insulin. Values for SG were 2.52 ± 0.98 10−2 min−1 and 2.81 ± 1.07 10−2 min−1 for males and females in the NGR group, and 2.08 ± 1.21 10−2 min−1 and 2.09 ± 0.98 10−2 min−1 for males and females in the AGR group. No statistically significant difference was found between males and females in both NGR (p = 0.29) and AGR (p = 0.94) groups. Sex differences were not detected for GEZI, which provided the major contribution to SG, either in NGR or AGR group. In conclusion, glucose effectiveness and its components seem to be not affected by sex differences in all glucose tolerance conditions.